How Far We've Come
by Violetfangs
Summary: TWO-SHOT. SONGFIC. AFTER KNOCKOUT. AFTER ANGEL. Songfic for both Castle and Maximum Ride to the song "How Far We've Come" by Matchbox 20.


**A/N: So...this is two-shot. But they aren't connected. One is a Castle version and the other is a Maximum Ride version. It's Judgment Day, passed 6:00, and I'm still fine so... But I've been obsessing over this song all day so... I say "so..." too much. As for A Savage Beast, for those who have read it, I might do another chapter soon, but if not, you won't get an update till late June. So anyways, I'm going to start out with the Castle one so here's the summary:**

_**AFTER SEASON 3 FINALE: KNOCKOUT. Beckett's in a coma and Castle wonders how everyone can continue with what they're doing when Beckett might not live.**_

Richard Castle sat in his office, laptop opened in front of him on Microsoft, the beginning of next input of the Nikki Heat series staring back at him. But at that moment, he couldn't find the words to create the story, the only reason for him pulling out the work he had forgotten was to feel the presence of his muse. This was a presence the writer had not felt in a few days. Not since the funeral.

He closed his eyes, scrunching them together and wrinkling his nose, attempting to block pout everything from his life. As he did this, he heard his daughter's music playing in the end, the words sticking out to him. He had heard the song before but did not know the title or the artist.

_Hello, hello, hello. I'm waking up at the start of the end of the world, but it's feeling just like every other morning before, and now I wonder what my life is gonna be if it's gone._

It felt like he was waking up to a completely different universe. His once "practically perfect in every way" world was falling apart around him and no one else noticed.

_The cars are moving at like, a half a mile and hour and I started staring at the passengers and waving good-bye. Can you tell me what was ever really special about me all this time?_

His entire life had been fast-paced and fun, and now it had practically stopped in its tracks. It seemed that everything was brought to perspective. He was going to lose every one of the people he cared about someday. He wondered why he had been blessed with a woman so beautiful and perfect as Kate Beckett if he was just going to lose her. Why him?

_I believe the world is burning to the ground. Oh well I guess we're gonna find out. Let's see how far we've come. Let's see how far we've come._

His world _was_ burning to the ground and there was nothing he could do to change that. He paused and thought about everything that had happened between him and the love of his life. How far _had_ they come?

_Well I believe it all is coming to an end. Oh well, I guess, we're gonna pretend. Let's see how far we've come. Let's see how far we've come._

Everything as over. Without Kate, he couldn't survive, He needed her. But no one else seemed t share that feeling. Everyone was calm.

_I think it turned ten o'clock but I don't really know. I can't remember caring for an hour or so. I started crying and I couldn't stop myself. I started running but there's no where to run to._

He looked over at the time on his laptop but his eyesight was fuzzy from both lack of sleep and the tears that had been streaming down his face constantly for the pat few days. He wanted to run to Beckett's side . He wanted her to wake up and to remember and to tell him the same thing that he had told her on that fateful day.

_I sat down on the street, took a look at myself. Said where you going man you know the world is headed for hell. Say your goodbyes if you've got someone you can say goodbye to._

The writer looked around the room he was sitting in, the giant posters of his works staring back at him. He shook his head and realized they didn't really matter. Not if everything else was destroyed.

The chorus began paying again:  
><em>I believe the world is burning to the ground. Oh well I guess we're gonna find out. Let's see how far we've come. Let's see how far we've come.<em>

_Well I, believe, it all, is coming to an end. Oh well, I guess, we're gonna pretend. Let's see how far we've come. Let's see how far we've come._

They kissed. They'd nearly died in each other's arms, slowly freezing. Yet, they had started out despising each other.

_It's gone, gone, baby, it's all gone. There is no one on the corner and there's no one at home. It was cool cool, it was just all cool. Now it's over for me and it's over for you. Well it's gone, gone, baby, it's all gone. There is no one on the corner and there's no one at home. Well it was cool cool, it was just all it's over for me and it's over for you._

Everything was over. He had lost his one and only true love. She was irreplaceable. She probably wouldn't remember him anyways.

_I believe the world is burning to the ground._

Ring! Ring!

_Oh well I guess we're gonna find out._

His cell phone had started ringing.

_Let's see how far we've come._

He answered weakly, with a small, "Hello?"

_Let's see how far we've come._

"Castle?"

_Well I, believe, it all, is coming to an end._

"Esposito?"

_Oh well, I guess, we're gonna pretend._

"Get to the hospital now, dude."

_Let's see how far we've come._

Castle didn't even say good-bye.

_Let's see how far we've come._

He just hung up and grabbed his jacket, hailing a taxi when he got outside and telling the cab driver to take him to the hospital.

_Let's see how far we've come._

When he got to the hospital,he bypassed the clerk and went straight to the room he had become so accustomed to going into.

_Let's see how far we've come._

When he rushed in, he saw a miracle.

_Let's see how far we've come._

Kate Beckett sat in her bed, hugging her father, awake.

_Let's see how far we've come._

When she released her father, she looked up at him and smiled, "Rick."

_Let's see how far we've come._

He waked forward, smiling back, and embraced her. As they hugged, she whispered, "Ditto," int his ear.

_Let's see how far we've come._

He let go and looked at her in awe.

"You remember?" he asked uncertainly.

"Always."

_Let's see how far we've come._


End file.
